Antithesis
by A Little Bird
Summary: They're not always on the same page, but they're usually in sync. Ignitionshipping or just plain ol' bromance.


**Ignitionshipping : Volkner & Flint. (duo of great and ter-uh-bull pow-wuh.)**

**Oh, and if Pokemon were mine, I'd turn it into a hospital drama! Thank God it's not. -(there's your disclaimer.)**

**It's summer, and I'm that bored that I've resorted to Pokemon-obsessing. I don't really play Platinum, but I know these 2 and I love them & I've seen them. (They're Old Greg?) So if I got their characterization wrong, or whatever, bite me. Nobody cares that much about a single fanfiction. Enjoy.**

**(' v ')**

_Antithesis._

_Plop_! Drops sprung briefly from water the as the rock disturbed the ocean's surface. Flint scanned the shore for another pebble.

"Do you have ADD or something?" Volkner asked from his position behind Flint. Sunnyshore's infamous gym leader lay sprawled on the city's beach, apathetic to the world around him. Not that he could see the world, for the arm slung over his eye. He did this either to block out the sunlight or the scenery; you could never be sure with Volkner.

"Nah, dude, I'm just hella bored," Flint finally replied, relinquishing his newly-acquired projectile. He trailed back to his friend's lounging form and collapsed on the sand beside him. "Wanna battle?" Flint asked bleakly. His gaze was on the unbroken blue sky above them, neither seeking nor avoiding Volkner's response. He didn't really care about the answer either way; he felt pretty indifferent today._ Volkner must be wearing off on me, _Flint thought. _Great, now I'm never going to be able to walk past the Lighthouse without moping inside it. _"So, how bout it?"

"No, I don't think so," Volkner replied, still not removing his arm from across his eyes. "You get depressed when you lose, and I'd hate to see you cry." Flint could practically hear the smirk stretch into place on the electric-trainers lips.

"Puh-_lease_, that implies that you could actually get past my Infernape, let alone beat me," Flint retorted. He grinned at the sky. Bickering and minor arguments involved less energy than getting up to battle, and could be just as entertaining.

"I've beaten you before," Volkner reminded his friend. He paused to let Flint fume over that comment before adding, "You never burned out over something like that. With me. But whenever Platina and that other guy manage to defeat us, you kinda fall into a funk."

"Losing sucks," Flint replied easily.

"Except to me?" Volkner raised an eyebrow with his inquiry, but the gesture was hidden beneath his arm.

"I kinda expect to lose to you," Flint laughed. "And I also expect to win too. You're my sparring buddy! We're as good as equals. Yet I don't recall you jumping for joy after defeating me." Flint leaned over and poked his partner's side with the accusation.

""We're as good as equals", right?" Volkner quoted. "Losing to you... isn't a phenomenon."

"Wait to make a guy feel special," Flint responded before launching into his next inquiry. "So what is it about losing that makes you... happy? Usually seeing your pokemon pummeled wears a guy down," Flint remarked.

Volkner's arm slid off his eyes while his gaze slid over to the fire-trainer. "Why does losing a match elicit an emotional breakdown from you?"

"Elicit? A breakdown? Tad melodramatic today, aren't we?" Flint pouted vaguely.

"I disagree."

"Of course you do." Flint rolled his eyes. "Well, losing means I made enough mistakes that the opponent gained an advantage. It means I have a lot left to learn. Which means I'm not as awesome and macho a trainer as I'd like to believe." A frown accompanied the admission.

Volkner slid his bangs away from his face thoughtfully. "Isn't that a good thing?" Flint furrowed his eyebrows; in what world was being an unawesome and wimpy trainer a good thing? As if reading his mind, Volkner clarified, "I meant the part about having to learn more. That means that you still have room to grow as a trainer. When you lose, it means you still have new heights to reach. You're not at the end of your adventure. You haven't realized your potential, and there's time left, and so many possibilities because it's not over..." Volkner trailed off.

For a moment, Flint's expression was bemused. Then he exclaimed: "Deep, man! Look at you! Who knew all that brooding turn you into such a pro philosopher?" Flint teased. Volkner promptly elbowed his companion in the stomach.

"Shut up."

Flint recovered easily, then propped himself upon his elbow, facing Volkner. He held out one lecturing finger. "But winning shows how far you've come. It's proof that something's been accomplished with the experience you've gained."

"They're both valid points." Volkner waved a hand dismissively.

"Mine's valid-er."

"You just want to argue."

"Do not!"

Volkner had to actually pause and restrain himself from retorting just as childishly. "Whatever," he replied placidly instead.

Flint chuckled. "You're so lame, with your coolness." His hand reached out and ruffled the blond's hair.

Volkner scowled beneath the petting. "Contradiction much?" Flint just chuckled again, his hand to opting to shove his friend. They returned to staring at the sky with a comfortable silence blanketing the moment. Then. "Flint." The redhead's attention captured, Volkner continued. "You are an 'awesome' and 'macho' trainer." The air-quotes kinda detracted from the underlying compliment. "Stop being so serious and lighten up." Volkner concluded.

Flint's eyebrows flattened against his annoyed eyes. "You SO did not just say that. YOU'RE Mister Grumpy Patootie!"

The addressed trainer rolled his eye for the umpteenth time that afternoon, then slowly collected himself off the sand."Grow up," Volkner returned, eying Flint over his shoulder. Then, like the sun appearing amidst a storm, a small, private smile blossomed on the gym leader's face. He turned around to fully face Flint and offered the guy his hand. Grinning with a light of his own, Flint grasped it and pulled himself to his feet.

"Love ya too, dude," Flint cackled. He flung his arm around his friend's shoulders and clamped him in for a sloppy hug, if only to further pester the collected prodigy.

"Get off me," Volkner growled, as was routine. And continuing with that routine, he made no movement to end the interaction.

**Ahhhhhh. Bromance at it's finest. :D**


End file.
